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Royal Armouries Fort Nelson to undergo £3.5 million revamp after winning Heritage Lottery Grant

18 March 2008

Imposing south-coast landmark the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson is set for a major revamp after a £2 million award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), part of a £3.5 million redevelopment of the successful heritage attraction.
After months of intense work, the Royal Armouries announced today (Tuesday) their success in being granted a £1,988,000 grant from HLF, to be added to £1.5 million of required matched funding, of which £750,000 has already been secured.

The money will be used to transform the historic site, which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour and the Meon Valley, by completely redeveloping the free heritage attraction. It will help bring to life the true stories and history behind the Victorian fort, the people who helped build it and the national collection of great guns and historic cannon. New and better equipped visitor facilities will allow even more people to enjoy the successful attraction and its historic collection, which has already seen visitor numbers more than double between 2000 and 2005.

Head of Royal Armouries South, Sean Mannie said: "This is great news! The HLF grant secures the long-term future of the only national museum in the area and of the only Palmerston Fort regularly open to the general public. We know from the feedback from our visitors that the fort is an important landmark, tourist attraction and educational and community facility and this cash boost will enable us to further enhance the quality of the service we can offer."
Sheena Vick, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager for the South East, said: "Fort Nelson is home to the national collection of historic cannons and historic artillery, capturing social as well as military history. Today's news will enable the Royal Armouries to reveal what life was like for those who spent their days at the popular fort and to help visitors explore the stories behind the weapons and those who used them. It will also transform the experience for the many thousands of people who visit the Fort each year, by welcoming and guiding them in an entirely new way."

The main projects included in the refurbishment include:
- A new, 355sq m, free visitor centre and facilities for Fort Nelson and Portsdown Hill outside the walls of the fort, containing an information and welcome centre, larger shop and larger café for use by visitors and passing traffic, cyclists and walkers.
- A dramatic new 450 sq m entrance gallery displaying the most dramatic and iconic cannon in the collection including Saddam Hussein's infamous Supergun.
- State-of-the-art education centre and facilities for local schools, including a new 'classroom of the future' and dedicated entrance.
- A new viewing platform to enjoy and appreciate the incredible views from the Fort's ramparts.
- Re-siting the main visitor entrance so that visitors cross a dramatic original drawbridge to enter the fort.
- Lift access to the two main levels of the site for disabled and pushchair users.
- New parking facilities next to the site, providing easy access for the first time to the famous Nelson Monument.
Over the coming year, Royal Armouries will add all of the detail to the outline proposals and secure the final planning permissions and confirmation of the grant. On successful completion of this work, building will start in 2009, with opening of the 'new' Fort Nelson taking place in 2010.

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson will remain open throughout the building phase in 2009, with an exciting programme of seasonal special events as well as all the daily features visitors have come to expect.

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Media contact: Royal Armouries' Head of Communications, Andrea Long on 01132 201979, or Catherine Kelly/Joss Loader, Primary PR Ltd.
Telephone: 01903 783 832, 07704 130 226, 07838 379 599.
E-mail: info@primarypr.co.uk

About the fort:

- The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson houses the national collection of historic cannon and big guns. The museum houses one of the world's finest collections with over 350 cannon dating back over 600 years and from every corner of the earth. The collection originated at HM Tower of London and has been on display in Hampshire since 1995.
- The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson also tells the story of the Palmerston Forts, built to protect Portsmouth from a feared French invasion in the 1860's.
- Every day, visitors can see one of the big guns fired in salute, watch our resident actors bring to life characters from 1,000 years of history, explore secret underground tunnels and enjoy incredible views from the ramparts. An extensive programme of special event spectaculars takes place throughout the year.
- Fort Nelson is open every day except December 24-26. April to October 10am -5pm (Wed 11am-5pm), November - March 10.30am - 4pm (Wed 11.30-4pm).
- Admission to the Royal Armouries is FREE.
- Admission charges apply to some events.
- Information line: 01329 233734
- Website: www.royalarmouries.org
- Email: fnenquiries@armouries.org.uk